00;00;05;04 

MAPS 

Oh. Welcome to this episode of the Medical Affairs Professional Society podcast “Elevate”. The views expressed in this recording are those of the individuals, and do not necessarily reflect on the opinions of MAPS or the companies with which they are affiliated. This presentation is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal or regulatory advice. And now for today’s “Elevate” episode. 

00;00;33;20 

Bagrat Lalayan 

Welcome to the Medical Affairs, professional societies, Leadership and Management Domain. I am Bagrat Lalayan, Vice President and Head of The Medical Affairs at Legend Biotech. And today we begin a new series focused on creating a culture of innovation in Medical Affairs. Medical Affairs is evolving faster than ever. Scientific communication, real world evidence, digital engagement, patient centricity, value frameworks. All of these demand not only execution, but imagination. And today, I’m honored to be joined by someone who has spent his career shaping how we learn, connect, and move science forward. Matthew John Rice, Learning Architect Director at the Center for Scientific Exchange Excellence at the Merck Research Laboratories. Matthew, welcome. 

00;01;28;12 

Matthew John Rice 

Thank you. Bagrat, it is a pleasure to be here.This is a conversation I’m truly excited about because innovation in Medical Affairs isn’t just needed. It’s already happening and we have the responsibility to guide it with intention. 

00;01;45;15 

Bagrat Lalayan 

Beautifully said. Matthew. So let’s start at the foundation. When we talk about innovation, people often jump to technology, right. AI platforms, predictive analytics, new channels. But innovation begins with something simpler and more elemental mindset. Matthew, how do you define an innovative mindset in Medical Affairs? 

00;02;11;16 

Matthew John Rice 

Well, for me, an innovative mindset starts with curiosity. It starts with a willingness to ask, what if I’m not in with me? What if what if we engage differently? What if we learned differently? What if we decide our evidence plans with patient participation from day one? But curiosity alone is not enough. Innovation also requires psychological safety. People need to feel empowered to propose something unconventional. Even if I may not work the first time. In short, curiosity plus respect for experimentation equals an innovative mindset. 

00;03;00;16 

Bagrat Lalayan 

I love that framing. And because Medical Affairs has historically been cautious and for good reason, because we operate within scientific, ethical and regulatory boundaries. But innovation doesn’t mean breaking rules. It means reimagining how we fulfill our purpose within them. So let’s talk about environments. What does it take to cultivate an innovative environment inside a Medical Affairs organization? 

00;03;30;16 

Matthew John Rice 

Well, three things come to mind for me. The first one is this concept of a shared purpose. Innovation needs to be an anchor. If we’re innovating for innovation sake, we get noise. But if the purpose is clear, for example, improving scientific exchange, improving patient outcomes, then innovation becomes focused in meaningful. Second, diverse thinking innovation flourishes where different disciplines collaborate. When medical science sits with data science, behavioral science, operations, or even storytelling, you get cross-pollination ideas. And the third, for me, is the permission to learn, not just perform. If every project must be flawless, no one will risk new approaches. Leaders must reward learning outcomes, not just performance outcomes. 

00;04;36;05 

Bagrat Lalayan 

The last point is critical. I think I agree in many organizations processes rewards predictability, but innovation requires exploration. So if we want Medical Affairs teams to innovate, leaders must model something very specific, like the courage to say, you know, we haven’t done this before, but let’s try. So now let’s move to the heart of today’s episode. Defining the culture of innovation in Medical Affairs. Matthew, how do you articulate this culture when teaching of building capabilities? 

00;05;12;11 

Matthew John Rice 

I define it as a culture where scientific curiosity, collaborative creativity, and patient centered thinking guide how we solve problems and make decisions. Now let’s break it down. Scientific curiosity keeps us asking questions. Collaborative creativity ensures those questions are explored across expertise areas, not in silos, and patient centered thinking keeps innovation from drifting into intellectual exercises. It keeps the work human, purposeful and grounded. A culture of innovation is not a program. It’s a habit of thinking shared across the organization. 

00;06;00;23 

Bagrat Lalayan 

Yes, exactly. And that shared habit becomes a system that protects itself in organizations where innovation is embedded. You can feel it because meetings are more open. People reference ideas across teams. Decisions consider long term impact, not only short term efficiency. And perhaps most importantly, people feel permission to think differently. So let’s talk the role of leadership. How do leaders help build and sustain this culture? 

00;06;34;12 

Matthew John Rice 

I believe leaders must do four things consistently. First, they need a model. Curiosity. Ask questions. Demonstrate learning. Share when you don’t know something. Two. Invite diverse voices. Don’t just ask the expert. Ask the newcomer. Innovation often comes from fresh eyes. Number three create protected space for experimentation. This can mean small tests and learn. Pilots. It could be innovation, time blocks or sandbox projects. Now, if you’re not familiar with the concept or the term sandbox, it was adopted in the computer science industry to describe a controlled testing environment. The ideas play here. Experiment freely, but nothing breaks outside this box. The fourth one is celebrate learning, even when the outcome isn’t what you expected. Especially then, if leaders only celebrate fully validated success, innovation shuts down. 

00;07;47;16 

Bagrat Lalayan 

So well said. Innovation is not a personality trait. It is a collective practice. It must be nurtured, sustained. Revisited. Before we close Matthew, let’s leave our audience with three practical starting steps. They can take this week to begin fostering an innovation culture in their Medical Affairs teams. 

00;08;10;13 

Matthew John Rice 

Absolutely. Here are three things you can do immediately. Number one, begin meetings with a question, not a statement. This signals curiosity from the start. Number two, create one learning objective for every project. Not just deliverables, but what are we trying to learn? Three pair people who don’t normally work together. Innovation loves unexpected partnerships. 

00;08;46;03 

Bagrat Lalayan 

Yes. Wonderful. And I’ll add one more. Ask your team what meaningful innovation looks like to them. Because innovation is most powerful when coauthored. Matthew, thank you for your insight, your clarity, and your commitment to reimagining the future of Medical Affairs. Thank you., Bagrat. This is just the beginning. I’m looking forward to where this conversation takes us next. And thank you to our listeners. This has been episode one of creating a culture of innovation in Medical Affairs. Brought to you by the Medical Affairs Professional Society. In our next episode, we’ll explore from ideas to action operationalizing innovation in Medical Affairs. Until then, stay curious, stay collaborative, and continue elevating the impact of Medical Affairs.